


Guide You Home

by muses_circle, xtremeroswellian



Series: Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala [19]
Category: Smallville, Supernatural
Genre: Demonic Possession, Exorcisms, F/M, Fingering, Guilt, Hitchhiking, Magic, Misplaced Guilt, Motorcycles, Vaginal Sex, Visions, protection spells
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:53:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24080059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muses_circle/pseuds/muses_circle, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: While Dean searches for Chloe and Chloe deals with her guilt, Sam and Sarah embark on a powerful ritual to protect their baby in the coming war.
Relationships: Chloe Sullivan & Ava Wilson, Chloe Sullivan & Jo Harvelle, Chloe Sullivan & Sam Winchester, Chloe Sullivan & Sarah Blake, Chloe Sullivan/Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Sarah Blake/Sam Winchester
Series: Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1722754





	Guide You Home

Finding the motorcycle had been easy. Bobby never mentioned he'd been hiding a Harley out back in one of his sheds. It wasn't like he'd miss it, either. Based on the condition of the bike itself, Bobby clearly hadn't used it in months.

But her engine roared proudly in his ears when he started the engine, and Dean had no doubt as he sped out of Bobby's driveway that he'd find Chloe. Something told him she was moving east. The two word letter he'd found on one of Bobby's tables in the living room -- Forgive me – that tipped him off. He ducked his head down and stared ahead at the open road behind dark sunglasses. He felt certain she was headed back for her family... her other family.

Dean didn't care what it took. He was going to find her and bring her back. Somehow. The world had been dark since he'd found her gone. He clenched his jaw and focused on the road. He only hoped Sam and Sarah would understand why he had to leave them behind.

&&&&&

Sarah watched Dean shoot out of the driveway, leaving dust behind him. She frowned in dismay. "You know, Sam, I think a lot of Dean, but this time he's gone too far. Your brother can be a real pain sometimes." 

Sam stared after him, his heart heavy. "This is a bad idea." 

"Let's go after him," she stated and glanced at him. "He shouldn't be doing this alone." The fact that Chloe had taken off without telling anyone worried her greatly. There was no telling where she'd go... or what she might do to herself. Sarah shuddered at the mere thought. 

He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, feeling torn. "We can't," he murmured, knowing exactly why Dean had left them behind and took off on his own. 

"Why not?" she whispered and lifted forlorn eyes at him. 

He turned to gaze at her. "Because we have to get everything ready for the spell." 

"Is the full moon really that close?" she whispered, eyes wide.

"Yes, it is," Bobby stated as he strode in. "Gonna tell me why you need a spell and the full moon?" He zeroed in on Sam. 

Sam met his friend's eyes. "Because we're going to do a spell to protect Sarah and the baby from that yellow eyed bastard." 

Bobby looked concerned. "What's it got planned?"

Sarah glanced over at the older man for a moment. "The thing wants my baby. Why, we don't exactly why."

"What kind of spell is it?" 

"An ancient protection ritual," Sam responded shortly, not about to let Bobby detour him from doing the spell to protect his family. Or what was left of it. 

"So you got everything you need to perform it? You know just what time to perform it?" Bobby crossed his arms.

Sarah swiveled around on one foot, her eyes sparking with anger and anxiety. "Maybe we do, and maybe we don't. What's it to you, anyway?" The fact that Bobby was asking questions made her suspicious. He could be housing that damn demon again, for all she knew. 

"Because if a spell like you're talking about isn't done just perfectly, it could have catastrophic consequences that would make that yellow eyed bastard look harmless," Bobby responded evenly. 

Sam looked down at the ground. 

Sarah blinked in surprise and grasped Sam's hand. "So what are you saying?"

"That if you don't have everything just right, things'll go to hell quicker'n you can blink." Bobby crossed the room to a large cabinet. "And if you tell me what you need, I can probably supply it." 

Sam drew in a breath, gave her hand a gentle squeeze and turned to watch Bobby. "The only big thing I don't have yet is lamb's blood." 

Bobby smirked and threw open the cabinet that housed most of his secret stashes of everything a hunter needed to survive. He grabbed a small book and turned to Sam and Sarah. "There's a local supplier of lamb's blood in the next town. Apparently there's a market for ritualistic blood."

Sarah looked down, slightly ashamed, and nodded. She bit her lip for a moment. "Then I guess we need to do this." 

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. You don't have to do this part. Let me take care of it, he thought, feeling her uncertainty, anxiety. 

No, I need to go with you, she thought back and moved into his warmth. I need to know what's going to happen. I'm just worried... 

Worried about what? he asked gently, circling his arms around her and pulling her closer. 

"Chloe," she whispered out loud and rubbed her face into his chest. "I'm so worried about her I can't think straight." 

Sam drew in a breath and rested his chin on top of her head, his own hazel eyes filled with worry. "I know," he murmured. "Me too." 

"So let me go with you?" She knew they had work to do to get this spell ready for midnight on the full moon, five days from now, and thinking about what Chloe and Dean might be experiencing alone scared her. With the yellow-eyed demon out there still, with the threat of the impending army looming over their heads, their little family split in two troubled her to her soul. 

He nodded a little, unable to deny her anything, sensing her need to be a part of this every step of the way. "Of course," he whispered, planting a kiss against her forehead. He just hoped wherever they were, Chloe and Dean were safe. 

Bobby cleared his throat to remind them of his presence. "So you two going to play kissy-face all day or are we gonna go?"

Sarah blushed and backed away from Sam. "Kissy-face? I didn't think you knew the meaning of the word, Bobby." She spoke to Bobby but never took her eyes from Sam's face. 

Sam rolled his eyes at Bobby's remark. "We should get going," he agreed, taking Sarah's hand in his own. 

Bobby couldn't help but chuckle. "Come on, you're driving," he told Sam and eyed the Impala.

Sarah shut her eyes for a second, the image of Dean leaving his beloved car behind a testament to his state of mind. 

"I know," he murmured against her hair as he led her toward the door, his own heart pained at the thought. He'll come back. They both will. 

&&&&&

Two days later...

Chloe stared blankly out the passenger window of the blue Ford pickup she'd caught a ride in back in Iowa. The driver was a guy about her dad's age, and she could hear his concerned thoughts plain as day. How he wanted to make sure she was somewhere safe rather than just dropping her off. He had a daughter around her age. Lea. How frightening the idea of Lea hitchhiking was. 

When the truck pulled to a stop in front of a cafe, she blinked a couple of times and slowly turned her head to look at him. "Thanks for the ride. My aunt will meet me from here." She flashed him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. 

The man gave her a concerned frown. "You sure? Because I've still got a ways to go and can drop you off anywhere..." 

"No, you've been a wonderful help. Thank you," she said softly, picking up her duffel bag and sliding out of the passenger seat. "Have a safe trip." 

He nodded and watched her walk into the diner. Something nagged in the back of his mind that she was on the run, and maybe he should call the police. Instead, he put his truck into gear and drove off. 

&&&&&

Chloe slumped into the first available booth, tiredly ordering a coffee. She wasn't sure which was more exhausting: running away or keeping Dean, Sam and Sarah carefully blocked from her mind. She hadn't kept any of them shut out for this long a time period before, and it was starting to wear on her. 

The thought of them sent fiery, aching pains through her heart, and it was all she could do to choke back a sob. Pressing a hand to her face, she forced herself to draw in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She had no right to miss them, especially not Dean. Not after she'd slept with Clark. 

&&&&&

Sioux City, Iowa...

Dean stopped at the first internet cyber cafe thing he could find when he got into town and immediately instigated a search for Chloe, trying to track her movements. He'd been calling to her mentally during the hard ride east but was only greeted with silence. Deafening silence that spoke volumes.

It took several minutes to access Chloe's account for her cell phone, and he swore inwardly that when this was all said and done, he'd get Chloe to teach him the finer points of computer hacking. Or Sam, if he couldn't find her... He bit back the shudder that ran through him. No, Dean thought. I'm going to find her and make her understand. None of that had been Chloe, and he'd been an ass to think she had fully understood that.

He glanced at the computer screen and swore out loud, ignoring the curious looks from the other patrons. Her cell wasn't on, so that venue had proven useless. Dean stood up heavily and, grabbing a coffee to go, headed for the bike. He was going to follow his gut for the moment, until he could find a means to access her records.

Dean believed she was going back to Smallville. Where else would she go? 

&&&&&

Sam lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, tired but unable to sleep. He knew Sarah wasn't any closer to slumber than he was and he reached out and gently placed a hand on her stomach. 

Sarah was nervous, sleep eluding her. Scared beyond imagining, especially considering this time tomorrow they would embark on a dangerous, unstable spell that could, at best, maybe protect them and, according to Bobby, potentially kill them all. She shuddered inwardly, feeling only a little reassured by Sam's gentle touch on her body. She unconsciously scooted closer to him and nuzzled his neck a little. "I'm scared," she voiced quietly. 

"I know," he murmured, turning his head toward her and pressing a kiss against her hair. 

She leaned up on one arm and gazed down into his eyes intently. "Makes it worse that... I can't... sense Chloe. She's not... answering me." Her face fell into sorrow, her free hand tracing slow patterns on his naked chest. 

He was silent for a moment, feeling the weight of her sadness blending with his own. "She's not answering me either. Or Dean." He stroked her hair gently. 

Leaning into his touch, Sarah whispered, "Has he called you? Anything?" 

"He's checking in every few hours." He tapped his index finger against his temple and let out a breath. "Mostly to let me know he's all right. So far though..." He shook his head a little. "He thought she headed back to Smallville, but Lois hasn't seen or heard from her." 

"That doesn't mean Chloe's not going to show up on her doorstep," she pointed out and smoothed the frown lines from his forehead. "How does he sound?" 

"Frustrated. Tired. She's done a good job of avoiding him," he murmured. "Hasn't used any credit cards or even turned her cell phone on." 

Sarah smiled and kissed Sam gently. "That's what happens when you're in love with a Winchester. You tend to pick up his habits and traits." 

"Promise me you'll never take off like that," he said quietly, gazing into her eyes. 

"I won't," she whispered seriously and slipped her hand down his cheek. "Wild horses and possession couldn't take me away from you." 

"Good," he whispered, leaning closer and kissing her softly. 

Tears threatened to slip down her cheeks at the tenderness of Sam's kiss, her body sinking into his warmth. She wrapped her arms around his waist and moved closer to him. 

_I love you_ , he thought intently, shifting closer to her and resting a hand on her cheek. 

_I love you, too,_ she responded and put his hand on her rounding stomach. She felt warmed by his muscular body and smiled when he kissed her again. 

Sam drew in a breath as he felt their son kick lightly beneath his palm. 

"Ow, little man," Sarah said out loud and looked down at her stomach. "I think he's feeling a little left out." A warm, knowing smile crossed her lips as she looked at Sam's surprised face. 

"Does he...do that a lot?" he whispered, looking awed. 

Sarah laughed. "Yeah, he's been rockin' and rollin' lately, especially since..." She paused and looked uncertainly at Sam. "I get this feeling that... our son knows what's going on." 

"You mean about his aunt Chloe going awol," he murmured. 

She nodded silently and looked at Sam caressing her stomach lightly, as if trying to calm their son. She felt the baby kick her roughly around her side and winced. 

He drew in a breath and let it out slowly, sliding a little farther down the bed so he was at eye-level with her stomach. "Hey, Kiddo," he whispered, resting a hand on her belly. "We're all a little freaked out right now. But one thing I know about your aunt Chloe is that she's very resourceful. She's gonna be all right. Your uncle Dean's gonna find her and bring her back. So don't worry about that." 

Sarah felt wetness on her cheeks and realized tears streamed down her cheeks. Touched by Sam's words, she threaded her fingers through his dark hair and sighed deeply. 

"He'll bring her back," he whispered again, lifting his gaze to look at her. He wasn't sure how he knew it, but he did. He felt it deep down in his bones. 

Sarah sucked in a deep breath and met Sam's determined eyes. She felt the baby settle, though she wasn't sure how. She mustered a sad smile. "I think you're part magician, Sam Winchester." 

Sam smiled softly and kissed her once more. "Let's get some rest." They had a long day ahead. And he had a feeling they would need all the energy they could manage. 

Sarah nodded and rested her head against the pillow once more, feeling protected by Sam's arm across her stomach. She shut her eyes and tried to sleep, though the knowledge that their family was broken and scattered still sat ill with her. 

&&&&&

Peoria, Illinois...

Chloe smoothed down her suit skirt and straightened up as she walked up the stairs to the Peoria Daily Dispatch. Drawing in a deep breath, she lifted her chin and walked through the doors with more confidence than she actually felt. She smiled at the pretty brunette at the front desk. "Hi. I'm Chloe Sullivan. I'm here to inquire about doing some freelance writing." 

"Then you've come to the right place, I suppose," Ava Wilson replied from behind the desk, her masked in a professionalism she rarely felt. She pulled her hair out of her face and stood up to shake the other woman's hand. "Name's Ava Wilson. I'm the humble secretary." She smiled briefly. 

Her smile widened a little. "Nice to meet you." 

Ava nodded and moved back to her seat. Grabbing an application, she handed it to Chloe. "So, Ms. Sullivan, if you'd just fill this out, I'll have one of the editors speak with you about the freelance work." She leaned forward. "The pay's not worth it, but it's better than nothing, right?" 

Chloe looked down. "Yeah, it is," she said softly, tucking some hair behind her ear as she pulled out a pen. 

"Get comfortable," she said and pointed to a table and plush chair. "The application's long... and the interview longer." 

"Great combination," she joked, taking the application and moving over to the table. "Thanks." 

"No problem," Ava replied and watched the blonde head for the table. She sighed inwardly, feeling another damn headache coming on, and answered the ringing phone, a fake smile plastered on her face. 

&&&&&

Twenty minutes later when she'd completed the application, Chloe returned it to the desk. "Hey, is there a restroom I can use?" 

Her fingers rubbing her temple, Ava looked up and saw Chloe. "Yeah, down the hall, first door on the left," she muttered and took her application. "I'll go take this to Mr. Wilson." 

"Thanks," Chloe said, offering her a small smile before heading away. 

Ava struggled to her feet, application in hand, and took a step towards the assistant editor's office. She nearly tripped over her feet, however, when her vision abruptly went fuzzy and she felt like her head was being split in two with a sledge-hammer. Sinking to her knees, Ava bit her lip to keep from screaming from the myriad of images running through her mind like a stampede of elephants.

She saw a man, the stereotypical tall, dark, and handsome, though there was so much more to him than that. He was a leader, brave, fearless... invincible. Leading an army of some kind. She saw flashes of faces, including her own, standing alongside this... hero. Several other figures stood dressed in costumes with this Chloe Sullivan and a man who looked a lot like the leader of the pack. She shuddered as another face came into view: distorted and evil. Yellow eyes glistened against the pale skin. The view shifted again, presenting Ava with a glimpse of the yellow eyed guy's army. It was an army, she somehow knew that, and it was set to attack the small band of people on the other side of the small cemetery. Where she stood.

The vision ended with armies dashing towards each other before she regained her focus. Ava felt her face drenched in sweat, her legs too shaky to support herself. So she sat back against her desk and tried hard not to weep. 

Chloe returned a few moments later, not spotting the pretty woman at the desk as she moved to sit back down at the table once more, swallowing hard. She thought of Lois, and wondered if her cousin was doing well. That line of thinking led her straight to Clark and she flinched, her face paling. The guilt she felt immediately after was all-consuming. So powerful and overwhelming, she felt like she was going to throw up. 

Stumbling to her feet once more, she quickly headed for the exit, tears prickling at her eyes. 

Ava rolled her head around in time to see Chloe heading for the exit. "Wait," she said hoarsely. "Don't go." She tried to get to her feet and nearly fell back onto the floor. 

She paused, turning to look over her shoulder. A worried frown creased her brow. "Hey, are you okay?" 

"I'm fine, but your life's in danger." The words left her lips before Ava knew what she was saying. She grabbed a hold of the desk and wrenched herself onto her feet. Fearful eyes glanced at Chloe, and it was then she noticed the unshed tears. "Hey, you okay?" 

I usually am, she thought wryly. "Yeah, I'm fine. And what do you mean?" 

Ava quickly looked around the office, her eyes filled with intense fear. "You're going to think I'm nuts," she said under her breath. 

Chloe narrowed her eyes. "Somehow I doubt that." 

She sniggered under her breath and grabbed Chloe's arm. "Can't tell you in here. I'll lose my job," she whispered and ushered them outside, past her boss's window, and to the side of the building. 

She frowned and waited for the other woman to tell her what she meant. "All right, we're outside. Spill." 

Ava grimaced. "I saw... something, and I don't get it at all because I'm in the vision and since when was there a literal war between good and evil anyway?" 

She stared at her for a moment. "Vision," she echoed in a whisper. 

"Yeah, one of those," Ava nodded quickly. "I saw this tall guy who was leading a bunch of... okay, weird looking people dressed up like superheros, like it was Halloween or something, and I was a part of that..." She stopped at the pensive look on Chloe's face. "Why isn't this freaking you out?" 

Her face paling a little, she swallowed hard. Ava was completely wrong. Chloe was freaked out, but not from the reasons the other girl probably assumed. "Wow. So you're one of the gifted children," she murmured. 

"The... what now?" she asked, incredulous. What was this girl talking about? 

"Look, this is...not what I expected but...there are other people like you, who have...talents that others don't have." She gazed at Ava intently. 

"Talents?" she huffed. "You call blinding headaches and weird, freaky visions a talent?" She looked around and wiped the remnants of sweat off her forehead. "Is that tall good-looking guy I saw part of this talented group?" 

"Sam," Chloe murmured, knowing instantly who she was talking about. 

"His name is Sam?" Ava made a strange face. "And who's the dude who looks like him?" 

She flinched a little. "His brother." 

Ava slowly felt some sort of awareness creep into her mind. "Wait a second. You know these two, don't you? Of course you do. You were in my vision and about to be mauled by some... thing." She sighed and closed her eyes. 

"Wait. I was with them in your vision?" There was a hint of surprise in her voice. 

She threw up her hands. "That's what I'm trying to tell you, Chloe! You were standing next to the brother, and these people, or maybe they weren't people, I dunno... they were rushing you. We're in this cemetery somewhere." 

She was silent for a moment, raking a hand through her short blonde hair. 

Ava chuckled to herself, a short laugh of defeat. "See? You think I'm nuts, but I just thought you should know... apparently we're going to be in some kind of battle together. Whatever the hell that means." 

"I don't think you're nuts," she said quietly, looking at her once more. 

"Then... wait, you're actually buying this?" 

A short, wry chuckle escaped her. "If you knew anything about my life...." She shook her head a little. "This would seem normal in comparison." 

Ava paled for a moment and stared at the other woman. "Okay," she said shakily, "I'm going back inside now. You still want that interview?" Yeah, right, she thought. Like making like everything was normal was going to make everything okay. Yeah, ignore the fear creeping into your heart. Great idea. 

"I think we have more important things to worry about now," she said mildly. 

Ava shuddered. "Like what?" 

"Like the yellow-eyed demon." 

"Oh God, you mean that... the guy..." Ava's arms flailed as she spoke, "the dude with the yellow eyes is... real? And a demon?" She could hardly believe her ears. "Who are you?" 

"Chloe Sullivan," she answered grimly. 

She smirked. "And you know demons are real?" 

"Demons, ghosts and everything in between." 

Ava felt her legs give out from beneath her and sagged against the wall. "Feels like I'm in the Twilight Zone," she muttered. 

"Welcome to my life," she said with a faint smile that didn't reach her eyes. 

"Great, just great," she mumbled. "First Brady takes off and leaves me, now... this." She moved her hand indicating nothing in general and sighed heavily. "Now what?" 

She offered Ava a sympathetic smile. "Tell you what. Why don't we meet somewhere after you're done with work? I can fill you in." 

Ava nodded mutely. "You know... the... cafe... on the... corner?" she panted and pointed towards the street. Her voice was as shaky as her face pale. 

Chloe looked down the road and nodded a little, then turned back to her, resting a hand on her arm. "Take a couple deep breaths." 

"Trying," she whispered and breathed deeply. "Still trying to grasp demons are real." She glanced at Chloe. 

"Yeah. It's not easy. I know." Her voice was quiet. 

Ava laughed. This felt so unreal. She wasn't sure she wanted to go through what she saw. "I'll be there at four, okay?" she said and lifted herself from the wall. 

"Yeah, okay. I'll see you then." She watched as the brunette disappeared back inside the newspaper building before exhaling slowly, feeling overwhelmed. She'd run in an attempt to leave her guilt behind and instead fate had found it funny to throw her right back into the middle of the upcoming war. Swallowing hard, she leaned against the wall for a moment, shutting her eyes. 

&&&&&

Chloe's trail went cold around Omaha, Nebraska, much to Dean's irritation and fear. He knew she'd stopped using anything he could use to track her. Damn woman was too resourceful for her own good, he grumbled inwardly. He had obviously taught her well. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as his face baked in the warm Nebraska sun. He put the brake on and stepped off, his feet making a beeline for the restaurant. He flipped his cell open and dialed Sam's number. 

"Dean?" Sam answered before the phone finished the first full ring. 

"Dude, she's vanished." 

He drew in a breath and let it out slowly, not surprised at that news. "What can I do?" 

"Get your butt online and see if she's written anything recently," he replied, his voice dead. 

"Got it," he answered without hesitation, flickering a glance to his wife, who sat in a comfy chair, curled up with one of Bobby's spell books. 

_Sarah._

The distinctly familiar voice startled Sarah so badly she nearly dropped the book on the floor. Papers went flying everywhere as she tried to get a hold of herself. "Chloe?" she said loudly without thinking. 

Sam's eyes widened a little. "Dean, hold on a minute." 

_Yeah, it's me. Her voice was tired. I just wanted to let you know I'm safe._

"I don't want to hold on, dammit!" he shrieked on the other line. 

Sarah shook her head towards Sam. _Chloe, please tell us where you are,_ she silently pleaded and shut her mind off to Sam. _Dean's looking for you, and we're all so worried about you._

_I can't. Not yet. But I'm all right. I miss you. Are you all right?_

Sarah sighed and pinched her nose. _Yeah. Getting ready to do this protection spell, but Sam and I'd feel better if you and Dean were here._

 _I'm sorry_ , she thought sadly, shutting her eyes. 

_Don't be sorry,_ Sarah thought and met Sam's eyes. _It wasn't your fault. It wasn't you._

 _It was my body._ Chloe swallowed hard. 

_But something else was controlling your body, right?_

_It doesn't matter, Sarah. It used me to hurt Dean and I can't...forget that._

_Chloe, whatever happened... Dean's out there. Looking for you. He's on the phone with Sam now._

"Sam!" Dean shouted, sensing something was wrong. The other line was deadly silent, and he wondered if the call had been dropped. 

"Sarah's talking to Chloe," he whispered into the phone. 

_Sarah, I slept with Clark._ Tears filled Chloe's eyes. 

Dean paled. "Talking with her?" Part of him was relieved to find out she had at least contacted one of them, but at the same time, his mental questions and demands had been met with silence. And it pissed him off to no end. Anger... covering up his intense hurt.

Sarah covered her mouth to keep from saying anything out loud. Meg had used Chloe's body to do the one thing she knew might turn Dean from her. Clark. She sucked in a surprised breath and shook her head. _No, Chloe, you didn't. That was Meg,_ she protested. 

_It doesn't matter._ A tear trickled down her cheek. _She was in my body. How am I supposed to ever look Dean in the eye again?_ She drew in a shuddering breath. _Take care of yourselves. I'm still in this battle. Just...in a different capacity._

Sarah thought about telling her how Dean had left after her, how he had scared her with the sheer violent determination in his eyes when he'd discovered Chloe was gone. But she didn't. When Dean found Chloe, that would be something for them to discuss. _Wait, Chloe, where are you? What capacity?_

Her words were met with silence.

Sarah cried out and looked up at Sam. "She's okay, but... she won't tell me where she is," she stammered. 

Sam drew in a breath. "Dean, she's okay. But she wouldn't tell Sarah where she was." 

Figures. "Great, fucking fantastic, Sam. How the hell am I supposed to look for her if the trail's gone cold?" 

"At least we know she's okay," he said gently. 

"Not good enough for me," he bit out, feeling like he was being strangled. He needed to see her, face to face, take her into his arms and try in his own way to tell her things were okay. But hadn't he already tried that, and hadn't she run off anyway? She slumped down in the his seat -- a booth in the restaurant -- and sighed. "Please do your online thing, Sammy," he whispered, defeated. 

"I will. I'll call you the minute I have anything." Sam hesitated a moment. "Stay safe." 

"I will. You and Sarah... just... take care." 

"We will," he promised quietly. "I'll talk to you soon." 

Dean merely nodded and hung up the phone, his head bowed in defeat. It was pretty damn clear she didn't want to see him, couldn't accept that he'd forgiven her, though she obviously wasn't going to forgive herself. He was so lost in thought that he nearly forgot to order something to eat.

Like it or not, he would find Chloe Sullivan. And when he did, he'd make sure she never left again. 

&&&&&

Chloe showed up at the diner fifteen minutes early, though she was half-afraid Ava was too freaked out to actually make an appearance. If that was the case, she was going to have to do some research to track the other woman down and convince her to help in the fight of good against evil. Taking a deep breath, she settled herself in a booth with a latte, her nerves rattled from her mental conversation with Sarah a few hours before. Dean was looking for her. Which didn't actually surprise her. It was only a matter of time before he tracked her down if she didn't keep moving. Right now it was a chance she was going to have to risk. 

She sipped her drink, letting her eyes close momentarily and wincing as an image of Clark's naked body flashed into her mind as he hovered over her. She shuddered and then swallowed hard when she remembered the devastated, horrified look on Dean's face. Her stomach knotted and she set her mug down, resting her head in her hands for a moment. 

The demon had known exactly how to hurt Dean the most and had used her to do it. The idea that, at any point, another demon could do the same thing, could get inside her and take possession of her body, do things to hurt the people she loved the most terrified her. If Dean hadn't figured it out when he had, what else would Meg have forced her to do? She could've killed Sarah or the baby or Sam or even Dean. And that was too much to think about. Shaking her head a little, her face pale, she looked up as the bell above the door jangled. 

Ava stepped with trepidation through the front door to the small restaurant and asked herself for the millionth time why she was even here. The vision... it'd been a fluke, right? And the ones before this one, all coincidental. No way she was a part of something bigger. She swallowed hard when she found Chloe seated and waiting for her, a large coffee sitting in front of her. She mustered a smile slid into the seat across from her. "Hey." 

"Hey," she said, gazing at the brunette intently. "You want some coffee?" 

She nodded mutely and glanced at the waitress for another cup of coffee. Tried as she might, Ava couldn't muster a single word.

Chloe was quiet as the waitress came over and poured the other woman some coffee. Then she drew in a deep breath and gazed at her evenly. "How long have you been having your visions?" 

She thought about not answering the other woman's question. And maybe she wouldn't have, had Chloe herself not been in her latest vision. "Just over a year," she said under her breath, her words dying away quickly as she took a sip of coffee. 

"So you're twenty-three?" 

"Yeah... what's so important about my age?" 

"Twenty-two is when the...gifted...people start getting their abilities." 

Ava shook her head, incredulous. "Gifted? Huh? You know more people like this or something?" 

"Yeah. I do." Chloe held her gaze, felt her disbelief and fear. "Listen, there are other people like you. Some of them have the same abilities, others have... different ones. But you all..." She paused as it dawned on her what she was dealing with. Sucking in a breath, she rested her hands on the table in front of her. "Are very special," she finished in a whisper. 

The mug in Ava's hands fell onto the table, a hard thunk. "Yeah, right," she snorted quietly. "Special equals freakish. I get it." She looked around. "Where are the men with the straitjackets?" 

"Not freakish." Chloe leaned toward her. "Do you believe in angels?" 

What a strange question, she thought and met Chloe's gaze. "Uh, I guess so. Why ask?" 

"Because you are one," she said seriously. 

Ava blinked hard. Once. Twice. And then her mouth fell open, shock spread across her face like she had been slapped. "What?" she whispered when her tongue no longer felt as thick as cotton. "Maybe the men with the straitjackets are here for you, Chloe, because that's impossible!" 

"No, it's not." Chloe was quiet for a moment. "Good and evil both exist. Literally." 

"They might exist, but last time I checked, angels didn't get skull-splitting headaches." 

"They do if they're only half-angel." She drew in a breath. "And the headaches will eventually go away, once you start getting the visions under control." 

"Yeah, because it's a snap to control them," she laughed sarcastically. 

"I didn't say that. It takes time and concentration, but it can be done. I've seen someone do it." 

"Really? And who was that, the Archangel Gabriel?" She didn't know why she felt the need to snap Chloe's head off, but at the same time, what she was suggesting was ridiculous. 

"No. His name is Sam and he's a friend of mine," she said without losing her calm tone. 

Ava nodded blindly and stood up abruptly, tossing a bill on the tabletop for her coffee. "This is too... weird for me. I'm going to go." She scooted out of the booth. 

"Ava, wait." She stood up quickly, catching the brunette's arm. "Listen to me. I need your help." 

"Help with what?" Her voice was high in her throat, and she forced herself to remain calm. "You're telling me that I'm having these visions for a reason, that I'm part angel? That your friend... Sam... is like me? How can I possibly help?" 

"Because something is coming and whether you like it or not, you're a part of that." 

"And what if I don't want to be a part of it?" Ava asked flatly. 

"I get that," Chloe whispered, looking down at the floor. "But I don't think you really have a choice anymore than I do." 

"Whatever," she retorted and yanked out of Chloe's grip. "You always have a choice." She turned on her heel and stalked towards the door. 

She shut her eyes, threw money on the table to cover her own drink, and slowly headed out the door. 

Ava ignored Chloe as she made her way towards her car. She looked up into the sky and shuddered at the thought that she was a part of something larger than herself. It was unthinkable. Her parents were normal... right? 

Deciding to let it rest for the time being, Chloe started across the street toward the bus stop, pausing momentarily when a cold chill ran down her spine. Shuddering, she turned just in time to see the blackest pair of eyes imaginable glaring at her as she found herself flying back through the air and into the side of the building. 

Ava heard a loud scream of surprise and pain and turned to see Chloe shoot through the air like an arrow. Shocked and scared out of her mind, she nonetheless scrambled across the street towards the seemingly lifeless girl. She didn't notice the looming dark figure in the shadows until it was almost too late.

Hard, cold fingers grasped her throat tightly and began to squeeze. She choked and sputtered, gasping for breath. "Help," she panted. 

Struggling to her feet, Chloe was at her side quickly, pulling a small revolver from her purse and shooting the figure choking her. The demon stumbled backwards from the rock salt, hissing. "Get the hell away from her," she said darkly. 

"Never," the thing rumbled maniacally. "She's good as dead." Its grasp on Ava's throat tightened marginally, though another couple rounds of rocksalt loosened its grip. She slid to the ground, the wind momentarily knocked out of her.

"Wh... what...?" Ava whimpered and struggled to her feet. 

"Stay down," Chloe commanded, lifting her chin and holding her gun at the demon's head. "I think you've got that the other way around." 

The demon, encased within a tall, broad shouldered man, laughed. "Really? You're a million miles from the ones you profess to love. You did a great job splitting up that fucked up family." He lunged towards Chloe, hands aiming for her throat. 

Her own eyes darkened as the remark stung and she pulled the trigger, rock salt hitting him square in the face. "Fuck you." 

The thing hissed and fell to its knees, but a sharp laugh burst from its lips. "No, I'll leave that to Meg when she inhabits your body again."

Ava had no idea what was going on, but this guy was really pissing her off. "Hey, Bucko, you're a real ass, you know that?" She took a couple steps and cocked the guy in the balls with her foot.

The thing keeled over and howled in pain. 

"Thanks," Chloe said with a faint smirk as she glanced at Ava, quickly digging through her purse and pulling out a charm. "This should contain you for awhile." She dropped it on his chest and chuckled when he hissed in pain. "Holy water inside the vial. Demon's hate it." 

If demons had a smell, Ava would say they smelled like the brimstone from Hell. Not that she'd ever smelled that before. It nonetheless didn't prevent her stomach from heaving in response to the smoky thing plastered on the ground. "So this is going to sound stupid but... what do you do with... that?" She pointed helplessly toward the demon. 

She glanced around. "Perform an exorcism," she responded grimly. 

Ava blanched. She'd seen "The Exorcism", watched the girl's head spinning backwards and projectile vomit. Didn't sleep for days after that. "Wait, here? Now?" 

"Unfortunately I don't have much choice. There's no way we can get him to go somewhere else voluntarily and unless you have super strength--" Chloe winced suddenly at the fleeting thought of Clark. 

The demon had obviously seen Chloe's momentary pause, because it grabbed one of her legs and tried tossing her to the ground. Ava tipped the bottle of holy water back in Chloe's hand and put the thing back in its place. "What do you need?" she asked, unsure any of this was happening. 

She flinched as her first thought was Dean. Swallowing hard, she lifted her chin. "A streak of good luck for a change," she grumbled. 

&&&&&

_Dean._

Chloe's voice rang like a crystal clear bell in Dean's mind, and he shot upright out of bed, the empty whiskey bottle in his grasp clattering to the floor. He looked around and blinked several times in an attempt to clear his head and remember where he was.

The hotel room on the outskirts of Nowhere, Nebraska, was possibly the worst place he had ever inhabited, and he vaguely recalled getting it. He'd been drunk, with whiskey and despair, to pay much attention to the peeling wallpaper or the puke smell coming from the bathroom.

"Chloe?" he rasped hoarsely, his voice loud to his ears. But she wasn't there. Dean closed his eyes, then, and felt out with mental fingers. She had called him. She needed him. And he needed to hear her voice again, have that connection to her. To find her.

_Chloe?_

&&&&&

"Are you ready?" Sam gazed intently at his wife as she sat across from him in the circle of salt they'd made in the woods behind Bobby's house. 

Sarah swallowed hard and nodded, though the butterflies in her stomach suggested otherwise. But they had to do this for their son. She smoothed her hands over her swelling abdomen. "As we'll ever be," she whispered and smiled at him. I love you, she thought.

Holding the book with the incantation, Bobby looked at Sam and handed it to him. "Take it away," he said and picked up the first ingredient:a charm to ward off evil spirits. 

Sam drew in a breath, murmuring a quiet I love you against her mind in return as he opened the book to the proper page and began to read. "Hail ut tutela of Watchtowers of North...." 

Closing her eyes, Sarah listened to Sam's soft words as he transitioned between English and Latin, shivering a little as the wind suddenly picked up and began to swirl around her, licking her face and whipping her hair around her. 

Sam shifted the book so they could read the spell together. "Vindico nos ex malum." 

Sarah picked up where Sam pointed and softly chanted the incantation with him, speaking the English words when he fell into Latin. She placed her hands over her stomach when she felt a warmth, unlike anything she'd ever experienced, come up from the earth. The sensation crept up her lower extremities and threatened to overwhelm her. She felt the baby kick anxiously and sent him soothing words of love, her eyes closing when an intense light engulfed her body. 

Sam felt it more than saw it, his heart beating heavily in his chest as lightening zig-zagged across the darkened night sky. He felt the warm heat of the earth's protection circling and guarding Sarah and their son. The spell was in place. Now he just needed to strengthen it. Shutting his eyes as he began to recite the words from memory, he reached out and placed his hands on her stomach. 

She felt like she was on fire; her body cried with the flush of warmth that infused her body and the baby's with something more powerful than she had ever known. And Sam's touch only intensified it. She whimpered, her breath hitched in her throat as she mentally begged for him to touch her. She felt the baby calm himself, almost like he understood this was for his own good.

From outside the circle, Bobby watched with awe at the blinding light emanating from them. A slight grin spread across his face: the yellow-eyed demon didn't stand much of a chance against them. 

For a moment he felt the heat envelope his entire being as much as it did Sarah's and he sucked in a breath, barely able to resist the urge he had to haul her against him and kiss her right in front of Bobby. And then it was over, the light gone, though he could still feel the sensations making his body tingle and knew she felt the same. 

Somehow Sarah found her breath, which came out in short airy pants as she grabbed Sam and touched him everywhere she could. She still felt the heat of the spell throbbing inside her. She looked into his eyes and found the same desire swirling within them.

Bobby coughed loudly and waited for them to stop pawing at each other. 

Sam barely took notice of Bobby as he rose to his feet, pulling her along with him gently and crushing his lips to hers. 

Molding herself to his body, Sarah grabbed his face and melted into his kiss, the intensity of it making her weak-kneed. She stroked his cheeks as he deepened their kisses and barely heard the loud coughing from outside the circle.

"Hey, I've got a room if you need one," Bobby called loudly and wondered if either heard him. 

Distantly it occurred to him that they needed a hotel room, and fast, because otherwise they'd be making love in front of Bobby in the middle of the forest. Still kissing her, his mind brushed against hers. Need to find a room. 

Yes, she thought blindly and clung to him. Her body hummed madly when he slipped his hand down to caress her stomach, slightly swollen with their child. She jerked against his touch and moaned in the back of her throat. 

He pulled away, sucking air into his lungs and looking at Bobby with slightly wild eyes. "See you later," he said, grateful the other man had come along in his truck while he and Sarah had taken the Impala. 

"Yeah," Bobby replied and watched Sam literally pick up Sarah and move quickly for the Impala. There was definitely not enough room in the forest for the tension that swirled between them. Shaking his head, the older man grabbed the books and items left over from the spell and disappeared towards his truck. 

"Sam, hurry," Sarah panted and bit his earlobe impatiently. She wound her arms around his neck and held onto him tightly, her body crying for his touch. 

At this rate they would never make it to a motel in one piece, he thought idly as Bobby's truck drove past them, leaving them alone in the forest. He pressed his lips against hers and yanked open the back door of the Impala, laying her down gently, his eyes hungry as he crawled over her. 

Sarah immediately yanked at the buttons on his shirt and nearly sent the buttons flying with her impatience. She groaned at the undershirt she found underneath. "You wear too much," she panted breathlessly and smiled seductively. 

"You too," he replied with a faint smirk as he untied the back of cotton sun dress she was wearing, his hands sliding beneath the material to rest against her heated skin. 

She moaned, back arched off the seat as his large hands moved to cup her large breasts, grown from the baby's presence. Her hands slid beneath his shirt and stroked his lower abdomen. 

Groaning, he lowered his head to kiss her neck as his thumbs brushed lightly over her nipples. Need rushed through him as he moved to unclasp her bra, pulling away to look down at her intently. He tossed the material to the floor of the Impala's backseat before dropping his head once more, licking at her skin. 

Sarah shut her eyes and gave herself up to the sensations that flowed through her, moved between her and Sam, incapable of coherent thought as she tugged his pants over his hips, followed by his boxers, to stroke his already hard manhood. She felt the heat between her thighs and writhed beneath his caresses. 

He hissed as she slid her hand over him, stroking him. He slid his hand between her thighs, stroking her core and groaning at how ready she was. 

"Sam," Sarah moaned and ground against his fingers. "Make love to me. Please." She gently squeezed him to emphasize her need of him. 

Lowering his lips to meet hers with an urgent kiss, he slid into her without further hesitation, heat washing over him as their bodies became one. 

Hooking one leg around his hips, Sarah rocked against his gentle yet firm thrusts and felt her eyes practically roll into the back of her head. Sam's breath was hot on her face, his kisses intense and toe-curling. She tried her best to push her hips off the seat to take him in fully, but the small backseat prevented her. She bit back a groan of frustration. 

Sensing her need, he slid his large hands beneath her body and tilted her hips upwards, groaning as he slid further into her, sweat prickling at his skin as they moved together quickly. 

His name on her lips, she felt the wave of climax beat into her suddenly. Her inner walls spasmed against his cock while, with his help, she thrust him completely into her, filling her, completing her. She shook with agony over the warmth that spread throughout her body. 

Sam felt her nails rake down his back as she rode out the wave of ecstasy. He groaned as he followed her over the edge, thrusting into her one last time and scraping his teeth lightly over her shoulder, soothing the skin with his tongue. 

Fingers dove into his damp locks, soothing the lines from his face as she watched him come back to planet Earth. She smiled shyly and licked the sweat from his neck quickly. 

"I love you," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her collarbone. 

"I love you, too," she replied and brushed his hair out of his face. She felt her body cool a little, though she made no effort to right herself. "Can we do that again?" she teased. 

Sam grinned as he lifted her head to look at her, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "What do you think?" 

Her eyes reflected promise. "I think we won't be getting much sleep tonight, Sam. Though... can we find someplace else? I'll never see the Impala the same way as it is." As she spoke, she traced patterns against his chest underneath his shirt. 

He kissed her softly. "Let's find a motel," he agreed, sliding off her and then picking up her clothes, dressing her once more and cupping her cheek in one hand. 

"Yeah, I don't want to keep Bobby awake with your screaming," she teased, touched at how tenderly he took care of her and the baby. She slid out of the backseat and rearranged his clothing. 

A short chuckle escaped him. "My screaming, huh?" he teased back, gazing down at her intently. 

Sarah winked and let her gaze linger on his body before meeting his eyes again. "You're going to scream before this night's over, Sam Winchester." She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. 

"I'll hold you to that," he whispered, kissing her back. 

She let him go and slid into the passenger seat, putting on her seat belt while her eyes followed Sam as he rounded the car and got into the driver's seat. 

Sam leaned over and kissed her once more before starting the Impala's engine. He wasn't sure how he knew it, but they were going to win this war after all. 

&&&&&

They were running out of holy water, and Chloe had yet to really do anything to get the demon thing out of the evil guy. Ava looked over at Chloe and swore she saw panic spread across her face. "Chloe?" she whispered fearfully. 

"I'm really bad with Latin," she admitted, her heart thudding heavily against her chest. 

_CHLOE!_

She flinched at the sound of Dean's voice breaking through her mental wall. The breath caught in her throat. 

"Don't these things respond to English?" Ava yelled over the creature's continual howling from the holy water. "We don't have much of this stuff left!"

 _Chloe... please._ His voice was filled with the pain of losing her yet again. 

She shut her eyes for a moment, her head beginning to ache. "No, it's always better in Latin," she whispered. It occurred to her that if she didn't do the one thing she was terrified of doing, she and Ava might both die. She couldn't have another person's death on her conscious. Swallowing hard, she let the wall drop. Exorcism, she thought, forcing herself to keep her mind calm. _I need help with the Latin._

Dean started out of the bed, his feet hitting the floor with a hard thud. She was speaking to him, though he felt a ripple of fear from her end. She was in trouble, and she might be in Timbuktu for all he knew. He thought about all the questions he could ask, but he grabbed his journal from his duffel instead and found the incantation. _Repeat after me,_ he thought and began reading the words off the page.

 _Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus..._

Steeling her nerves, Chloe drew in a breath, her fear replaced by sudden determination. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus," she echoed, gazing hard at the demon that lay at her feet. 

Ava watched, a cross between horror and shock, as Chloe suddenly began spitting out Latin like a native ancient Roman. The creature they were holding down began to writhe in agony at her words. She saw intense concentration on the blonde's face and wondered why she had said she couldn't speak Latin.

_omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio..._

Dean felt her words vibrate through him as he mentally recited the words, his eyes glued to the page even though he knew them by heart. He didn't want to get anything wrong. He fought back the surge of hope that maybe she would remain in his mind long enough afterward so he could at least talk to her. 

She repeated the words with careful precision, reaching out and grabbing Ava's arm as she approached the end of the exorcism, pulling the brunette back away from the demon that glared at them hatefully. 

"The streets will run with blood," it warned before howling in pain. 

Chloe watched, swallowing hard as thick, black smoke rushed from the man's mouth and floated above their heads before disappearing. 

Ava shuddered at the thing's words, but her eyes watched the smoke exit the man and take off into the night. "Hey, is smoke supposed to do that?" she asked out loud, stunned.

 _Chloe?_ Dean's voice sounded insistent. 

"It wasn't smoke," she said quietly. "It was the demon leaving his body." She drew in a breath and shut her eyes. _I'm okay._

Ava paled and blinked hard, heard the man on the ground groan and ask where he was. She looked at Chloe with startled eyes and found her to be so weak she nearly fell over. "Whoa there," she cried and put an arm around Chloe's shoulder.

 _Chloe,_ Dean's voice begged, quiet and ragged. _Please tell me where you are. I'm looking for you._

 _I know you are,_ she thought back tiredly, leaning against Ava for support. 

"You got a place to stay?" she asked and moved them both away from the still male figure on the ground. "Never mind, you can crash at my place. Got an extra bed that Brady thought he'd leave behind. Bastard." She knew she was babbling, but it was better than trying to process what had just happened.

Dean frowned and put the book away. Turning to look at himself in the dingy mirror, he asked out loud, "Why won't you let me come to you?" 

The urge to cry was almost overwhelming. _I love you,_ she thought as she let Ava lead her toward her car. 

_I love you, too. Please, Chloe,_ he repeated, blinking back unwanted tears as he waited with baited breath for her response.

None came. 

&&&&&

Ava slapped two beers onto her table, one for her and Chloe, and plopped down across from the blonde. Chloe looked pale and tired. "So I was wondering... what the hell was all that?" she asked casually. 

"I told you. He was possessed by a demon," she said quietly, reaching out and scraping her nail over the label on the bottle. 

Ava shook her head and took a swig of her beer. "No, I mean... how come you said you weren't good with the Latin and suddenly whipped it out like a pro? And demons being real? Holy crap!" 

"I'm not good at Latin. I had a little help," she admitted, not looking at her. 

"Help?" she asked seriously. "From who? I know I sure didn't do anything to help you." She crossed her arms on the table and leaned on them. 

"From a friend," she whispered, shutting her eyes. 

"Who? Casper the Friendly Ghost?" 

"I can read minds." Chloe took a small sip of the beer and made a face. 

Ava let out a breath and cocked an eyebrow. "So you know the panic I'm feeling, then?" she whispered. 

"No. I'm not reading your mind. I try not to invade people's privacy if I can avoid it." 

"Then let me tell you, Chloe." Ava took a long drink before continuing. "I'm freaking out, okay? I saw something I never thought I'd see, and it was more horrible than I thought, and I'm now totally alone to deal with it... and nothing personal but you're not a great replacement for Brady..." She took a deep breath and tried to steady her shaking voice. Unshed tears threatened to spill onto her lashes. 

She swallowed hard, reaching out and touching the other woman's arm gently as she felt loneliness and loss sweep over her in intense, powerful waves. "What happened with Brady?" 

Ava closed her eyes and looked down. "He fell in love with someone else." She stopped and laughed so hard her shoulders quaked with near hysterics. "It was so cliche, too: never coming home, giving me excuses for why he was going to be late. He didn't even have the nerve to take the engagement ring back and made me call everyone to say the wedding was off." 

She winced, looking down at the table. "I'm sorry," she whispered. 

She nodded. "It's okay," she whispered, her voice devoid of feeling. "He was the love of my life, and I should've known something was wrong." 

She wound her arms around her stomach, keeping her eyes shut as she thought of Dean. Of Clark. Of the things she'd done when she was possessed by Meg. 

"So when he left, packed up his shit while I was at work one day... I just wonder, what's the point in living anymore?" Ava continued, lost in her own thoughts. "Maybe I should go find this tall, handsome guy named Sam and sign up. Saving the world and maybe dying for it seems better than living alone and never loving again." 

Chloe shuddered involuntarily. "Can I use your bathroom?" 

Ava looked up, shocked to see Chloe's face white as a sheet. "Sure," she whispered and pointed down the hall. "First door on the right." 

She rose to her feet wordlessly, and quickly headed down the hall, shutting and locking the bathroom door behind her. She leaned against it heavily as her tears spilled over in a torrent. Pressing her hands to her face, she slowly slid down to sit on the floor, taking huge, shuddering gasps of air. 

Ava quickly followed her, concerned that maybe she had done something wrong. She tapped on the door when she heard weeping on the other side. "Chloe, you okay?" she asked weakly. 

Leave me alone, she thought wearily, pulling her knees to her chest. "I'm fine," she responded instead. 

"Okay, well, if you need anything..." Ava stopped speaking when her own sense of loss washed over her. She stepped away from the bathroom door and headed for her bedroom, tears streaming down her face. 

After several long moments, Chloe forced herself to take a deep breath, steeling her nerves for what she knew she suddenly had to do. She rose to her feet, splashed some cold water on her face and dried it off with the towel on the sink. Then she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked awful: exhausted and drained. But she was alive. 

That was a start. 

Lifting her chin, she unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway. "Ava?" 

Ava peeked out of her bedroom door and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yeah?" she whispered. 

Chloe offered her a small, faint smile. "Have you ever been to South Dakota?" 

&&&&&

Sam groaned softly as he felt Sarah's body shift beneath his on the bed. They'd finished the spell nearly four hours ago and after the brief pause in the backseat of the Impala, they'd managed to make it to a motel about twenty minutes away. By the time he got the door unlocked she'd had his shirt off and his jeans unbuttoned. From there it had been a mere three steps to the bed, where they'd spent the rest of the four hours alternately making love and napping. 

He was exhausted and knew she was too, but they couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other. It was like something in the spell had kick-started mutual insatiable desire in both of them and he wondered if he should be concerned that it didn't seem to be wearing off. He dipped his head and kissed her deeply, bringing one hand up to her cheek. 

Sarah moaned and opened her mouth to deepen his demanding kisses, her hands sliding up his bare arms slowly. Her body burned with desire from his touch, despite her weariness from their marathon lovemaking. "Sam," she whispered against his mouth and her fingers grabbed a fistful of his dark hair gently to hold his head in place. 

He deepened the kiss without hesitation as he shifted against her, his hardness pressing against her inner thigh. His skin burned where she touched him, setting off another spark of urgent need that he had no control over. "Sarah," he murmured. 

Her breath hitched in her throat when he cupped her breasts and flicked her already taut nipples into painful peaks. She pushed him onto his back and moved over him, her thigh brushing against his groin as she straddled him. "Yes?" she whispered, eyes sparkling. 

He grinned up at her. "If you wanted to be on top, all you had to do was say so," he teased, reaching up and tucking some dark hair behind her ear. 

Reaching between their bodies, Sarah squeezed his hard length and leaned down to lick his salty skin. "Sam, I want to be on top," she replied, her thumb slipping across his head. 

He groaned, his eyes rolling back in his head as he slid his fingers through her hair, keeping her close against him. 

The air was thick with tension and want, their mutual desire creating a spark that threatened to engulf them both. She positioned herself above him and slid onto his manhood easily. Her inner walls stretched to accommodate him, despite their soreness. She settled her hands on either side of his chest and marveled at the perfection that was her husband when she began to rock against him. 

Sam gazed up at her, holding onto her hips as he thrust up against her, enjoying the look of pleasure on her face. He encircled her with his long arms, pulling her closer, as he leaned up, teeth tugging gently at her earlobe. 

He gripped her so hard Sarah knew she would probably have bruises before it was all said and done. She moaned at his teasing and moved faster, her hands sliding between them and touching her stomach lightly. 

Within moments they were both at the edge of insanity and Sam pressed his lips against hers in a rough, needy kiss, his fingers tightening in her hair as he thrust up into her, his other hand sliding between them to stroke her clit. 

Lost in the moment, Sarah dug her nails into his skin and threw her head back as she shuddered with her climax, her muscles squeezing him further inside. She felt him close on her heels as he spilled himself into her with a loud grunt of pleasure. Breathless, she sat on top of him for several moments and flashed her Cheshire cat grin at him before sagging onto her side. 

He pulled her against him, her body curling against his as he brushed a kiss against her forehead, his fingers trailing down her back lightly. 

She shivered and buried her face into his warmth. "So, the pregnancy-hormonal-making-me-want-you-all-the-time thing aside," she breathed and hiccuped with surprise when he cupped her bottom, "you seem... um... awful eager." 

"I can't stop touching you," he admitted, shutting his eyes and burying his face against her neck. 

She sighed peacefully against his skin and slid an arm around to caress his back. "I know. Me neither," she whispered. "I could get used to this, ya know." She smiled, though a voice in the back of her head knew this was highly unusual for both of them. 

One day it was going to be like this without any worry about the end of the world or yellow-eyed-demons trying to kill them, he thought tiredly, pressing a soft, tender kiss against her neck. 

"Sam." She whispered his name as a quiet affirmation that they'd get through this alive, that their child would be safe. She ran her hand along his side and looked into his eyes, saw the heat behind them, and smiled. "You're ready... again?" she asked, a little awed. 

A smile tugged at his lips, though it was replaced by a worried frown. "Yes, but...we need to make sure the spell worked," he whispered. 

Right. The spell. In the mental haze of love and lust the last several hours, she had almost forgotten. She sat up slowly, her back to him though she continued to trace patterns across his legs. "How... are we going to do that?" she asked and moved her hair out of her face with her free hand. 

"I'm not sure," he admitted, pulling her back against his chest and dropping a kiss against her shoulder. 

Nestled firmly against Sam's back, Sarah closed her eyes and smiled when his hands drifted to the small round of her stomach. She understood Sam's impatience and anxiety over making sure their son was protected, safe. And if it was up to her, they would disappear from the rest of the world, dragging Chloe and Dean in tow, to live more or less normal lives.

But that couldn't happen yet. And she wondered how they could test drive the spell they'd completed only hours ago. Her eyes went wide. "If this spell makes us... invulnerable... then would someone have to h-hurt us?" Tears of fear sprung to her eyes. 

His arms tightened around her a little. "No," he said without hesitation. 

She relaxed against him a little. "Okay," she replied immediately. "Then isn't there something... else... we can do to make sure the spell works?" 

Sam thought for a moment, pressing another kiss against her shoulder. "I think it just has to be the intent to cause harm. Not actual harm itself." 

She smiled and turned back to look at him. "So it's basically like Spike's chip?" She laughed at the look on Sam's face. "What, you never saw Buffy?" 

"Buffy?" he repeated, his eyebrows furrowing. 

Sarah shook her head and rested it against Sam's chest once more. "You should watch TV more often. You'd like it." 

"Maybe when this is all over," he murmured, stroking a hand down her hair. 

She snorted softly and closed her eyes. When this was all over... would there be an over? she wondered, her brows furrowing despite her body's growing desire for Sam again. She grabbed his arms and held them tightly against her. "Sam, what if the spell fails? If the demon... somehow... can get to us?" Her voice shook with emotion. How were they going to find Dean and Chloe? 

"It won't fail," he said without hesitation. 

"Guess there's only one way to find out." Sarah turned in his arms so she was facing him, legs wrapped around his waist. She felt his hardness brushing her inner core and flushed. The determination in her eyes burned, though. "Pinch me, Sam." 

"What?" He stared at her. 

"Lean in and pinch me. I'm testing the theory.”

"Sarah..." He hesitated, the thought of doing anything to cause her pain leaving him unsettled. 

Her hand ran over his face gently. "Sam, it's okay. If this spell works, you won't be able to hurt me." She mustered a smile and rubbed the lines from his troubled forehead. 

Sam drew in a breath and reached out with the intention of pinching her arm. The next thing he knew he was on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, the air leaving his lungs in a pained rush. 

Sarah scrambled to the edge of the bed and looked down at him, terror and acknowledgment in her eyes. Yep, just like Spike. "Sam! You okay?" She reached out her hand for him. 

"Jesus," he whispered, stunned. "Yeah. I'm all right." He reached out and took her hand, still blinking with surprise. 

"Okay, guess that works, then," she replied and scooted back on the bed to let him lie down. "Like I said, I'm like Spike now." She grinned mischievously. 

"I'll take your word on that." He gazed down at her for a moment, then kissed her intently. 

Her flirtatious retort was lost in the warm depths of his kiss, and she turned her brain off completely. She scooted beneath him, pulled her to him, and gave herself up to what had to be the best day of their lives. 

&&&&&

Ava stared in disbelief at the rundown, ransack of a place that Chloe called "The Roadhouse." "You're kidding me, right?" she deadpanned. No way she was going in there. "The place looks like it's about to fall into the ground!" She glanced at Chloe. 

"It's a lot sturdier than it looks, trust me." 

She watched Chloe get out of the car and head for the ugly brown building. "Uh huh, and skunks smell like flowers," she muttered and followed her. Norman Bates wouldn't have stopped here, that was for sure.

Standing behind the bar and taking the daily alcohol inventory, Jo heard the door swing open but didn't look up. "We're not open yet!" she yelled and kept her crouching position behind the bar. 

A faint, tired smile tugged at her lips. "Not even for an old friend?" 

"Chloe?" Jo stood up suddenly and turned to find Chloe resting against the bar, a smile on her lips. "Hey, uh, didn't expect to see you so soon," she replied with a surprised chuckle, her eyes glancing at the petite brunette walk cautiously through the old door. "What are you doing here?" 

"Long story," she said quietly, her eyes reflecting her weariness. "How've you been?" 

She glanced at the woman standing next to Chloe and smiled. "Busy, with... you know, everything." She held out a hand to the stranger. "Hi, Jo Harvelle."

Ava turned uncertain eyes to the slender blonde on the other side of the bar. This place looked like it was one step from the demolition ball, and yet she looked like she couldn't wait for the place to start serving customers. "Ava Wilson," she replied and shook her hand. "Nice... place you have here." 

Chloe hid a small smile, ducking her head. She started to say something else when Ellen walked up. 

The older woman's eyes widened with surprise. "Chloe! Dean's been looking everywhere for you!" 

Ava cocked an eyebrow and turned to Chloe, seeing her turn a whiter shade of pale. Dean. Hadn't she mentioned that he was this Sam's brother? What connection did she have with him, anyway?

Jo tossed the clipboard onto the bar. "Yeah, he calls all the time, like I had a clue what happened or why you're flying solo." 

She drew in a breath and let it out slowly, guilt sweeping over her. "Like I said...long story," she whispered, not meeting Jo's eyes or daring to look at Ellen. 

"He's been worried sick. They all have." Ellen looked at her with concern. 

"Mom," Jo whispered under her breath and shot her a let it go glare. She grabbed four shot glasses and gabbed some whiskey. "I think we could all use one of these." She poured a shot for everyone.

"God, yes," Ava replied and plopped down on the nearest barstool and grabbed a glass. The trek across country had been awkward, at best, with Chloe just about skirting every conversation she'd tried to begin. 

Chloe downed hers quickly, shutting her eyes against the burn of the liquid in her throat. It was akin to what she imagined swallowing tiny razor blades would feel like. She shuddered, sinking onto one of the bar stools slowly and setting the glass down on the counter. 

"So," Jo said and leaned against the counter, "what brings you here without the Winchesters in tow and with a complete stranger." She glanced at Ava and tossed her a casual smile. 

"Needed some space," she answered, not looking at the blonde across from her. 

Ellen frowned at the response, glancing sideways at Jo. 

Jo frowned and met her mother's eyes. "I find that hard to believe, given your near soul selling experience to get him back." When Chloe had admitted that episode to her while she'd been traveling with them, Jo hadn't believed her. Watching Dean watch over and protect Chloe had quickly changed her mind.

Ava downed her drink and looked at Chloe with confused eyes. 

"It's the truth," she said quietly, avoiding everyone's eyes. She drew in a slow breath and slid off the stool. "I'm gonna use the restroom. I'll be back." She headed away before anyone could stop her. 

"I'm calling Dean," Ellen said quietly. 

Ava watched Chloe go, her eyes sad and empathetic. "I think... I think she needs some time to... process stuff," she whispered.

Jo cast a curious glance at Ava. "Hang on, Mom," she said. "Maybe we should wait." 

"No," she said firmly. "He's been worried sick. He needs to know she's safe." She gave her daughter a look. She picked up the telephone and dialed Dean's number. 

"Mom," she protested quietly but it was too late.

Dean was in the middle of Kansas City, Missouri, gassing up the Harley when his cell rang. He yanked it out of his pocket, and seeing the caller, answered on the second ring. "Ellen, what is it?" he demanded. 

"She's here," she said very quietly. "Just came in a few minutes ago with a brunette named Ava." 

His legs almost gave out on him. "What? She's there? How? Is she okay? Sam and Sarah there?" The questions rushed out in an almost garbled mess. 

"No, I wanted to call you first," Ellen answered. "Best I can gather is they drove in from Illinois." 

Jesus, Chloe had gone as far as Illinois? "Call Sam, Ellen. And keep Chloe there. Hogtie her if you have to," he barked and shut off the pump. "I'll be there tonight, sooner if I can." 

"Will do," she said grimly, hanging up and immediately dialing Sam's cell phone number. 

Dean hung up the phone and straddled the motorcycle, his entire being infused with determination and relief. She was alive. That was all that mattered.

Sam's cell phone startled him awake, and he grabbed it from the nightstand and answered it before Sarah woke up. "Hello?" he whispered, holding his wife to him closely. 

"Sam, it's Ellen." 

"Ellen? What's wrong? Is Dean okay?" 

"Dean's on his way here. Chloe just walked in." 

Sam shot up in bed and paled. "Chloe's there?" he asked loudly. He turned and gently shook Sarah awake. "Have you called Dean already?" 

"Yeah, I just got off the phone with him. You still at Bobby's? Cause that's a hell of a lot closer than Dean right now and I don't know how easy it's gonna be to keep her here." 

"Yeah, we're nearby. Just whatever you do, don't let her know you called us, okay? Sarah and I will be there in thirty." 

"Will do, Sam." She hung up the phone and drew in a breath, looking at Ava. "Well, you've had a long drive. You hungry?" 

"Hungry? I freakin' famished," she declared wearily. She pinched her nose with her fingers, a sudden headache coming on. I'm in the middle of nowhere with strange people and a weeping willow in the bathroom. What have I gotten myself into? 

&&&&&

Chloe was quiet, subdued when the door to the Roadhouse opened awhile later. She wasn't the least bit surprised to see Sam and Sarah there. She drew in a slow breath, not moving off the bar stool she was sitting upon. 

Sarah took one look at Chloe and let go of Sam's hand. "Chloe, thank God," she whispered, moving quickly to her friend but stopping short of hugging her. She didn't look in the least happy to see either of them, and a stranger sat next to her, dark eyes curiously taking everything in. 

"Hey," she said quietly, not quite meeting Sarah's eyes. "Sarah, this is Ava Wilson. Ava, Sarah Winchester." She didn't dare look at Sam. 

"Nice to meet you," Ava replied absently and stared at Sam intently. "So you're him."

Sarah frowned at Chloe's flat, emotionless voice and Ava's curious question. 

Sam tore his gaze away from Chloe's face and shifted his eyes to look at Ava curiously. "Him?" 

"The guy who's going to save the world or something." She waved a hand in the air and ignored the sharp looks she got from the rest of the room. "Hey, can I help it if I saw you in a vision or whatever?"

"Vision?" Sarah and Jo chirped together, both surprised and not a little concerned. 

"She's like you," Chloe said quietly, still not looking at Sam directly. "She has visions. They started when she turned twenty-two." 

Sam sucked in a breath, stunned. 

"Yeah, ain't that a real kick in the pants?" Ava retorted and played with a fry on her plate.

Sarah cleared her throat quietly. "So you saw Sam in a vision? What was in it?"

Ava looked at the pretty brunette holding Sam's hand. The pregnant pretty brunette. "We were all up against some huge army of freaks or something weird, and this dude with yellow eyes was leading it," she replied with a knowing smirk. "Sam was there, and Chloe, and other people. Some were wearing some freaky Halloween/Michael Myers stuff, ya know?"

"Ollie?" Jo whispered under her breath. 

Chloe glanced at her with a raised brow. "Ollie?" 

Jo made a face at her but said nothing.

Ava looked at Jo. "Who the hell is that?"

"No one," she retorted and crossed her arms. "Move on."

"That's pretty much it. I got out of it just before someone sounded the charge." Ava sighed and grabbed her glass of water, suddenly wishing it was something alcoholic instead.

Sarah looked at Chloe. "Where'd you find her?" 

"Peoria, Illinois," she answered, glancing at her briefly, taking a drink of her own water. 

Sam shifted his gaze back to her, startled. "Illinois?" he repeated, surprised at how far she'd gone. 

She nodded slightly. 

Sarah paled at the thought of how Chloe had gotten so far across the country and swallowed hard. She sat down beside her and put a hand on her shoulder gently. "So how'd you find Ava?"

"She was looking for a job at the newspaper where I work...ed," Ava answered for her with a slight nod. 

"Dean's been scouring the country for you," Sam told her, frowning. "You vanished without a trace." 

"I intended to," she admitted. 

"Why?" Sarah asked. "Don't you know none of that was your fault?"

"None of what?" Jo interrupted with a frown. She hated being left in the dark, though deep down, something told her to go find a mess to clean up in the back room. 

Chloe didn't reply, simply dropped her gaze and turned to face the counter. 

"She was possessed by a demon who was out for revenge," Sam said, not looking at Jo. 

"Big time," Sarah agreed but let her hand fall from Chloe's shoulder. "And it took over her body and did horrible things... which was all the demon and nothing to do with Chloe."

Ava paled considerably and stood up. "I think I'm going to... Bathroom. Yeah, going there." She spoke quickly and headed towards the ladies room. Maybe trying out poprocks and Pepsi would be a good idea right now, she thought. Might knock her unconscious or something. It was a better option than sitting in that tension filled room.

"So if the demon who possessed you is gone, since I assume it's been exorcised, why the long face, Chloe?" Jo urged gently. 

"Look, guys. I know what you're trying to do and I appreciate it," she said quietly. "But I don't wanna talk about this." 

Ellen rested a hand on Jo's shoulder, then cast a glance at Sam and Sarah. "Jo, come help me do inventory in the back." 

Jo nodded and made a quick exit. Sam and Sarah looked right out angry, and she didn't want to be around when the bottom fell out.

Sarah let out an irritated breath. "Why not?" she exclaimed and leaned against the bar. "Let's just not talk about this and let it simmer and stew until we're all barking mad at each other. The demon'd have a field day with that." 

Chloe didn't look at her. "I'm not going anywhere, so you can relax." 

"That's not the point, Chloe," Sam said quietly. 

She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "Speaking of demons...there was one after Ava in Peoria." 

Sam grimaced at the change in subject but let it go. "What happened?" 

"Performed an exorcism." 

Sarah looked over at Chloe and blanched. "You guys okay?" 

"Yeah. Ava was pretty freaked out. Getting her to come here wasn't easy." 

"Kinda like it was hard for you to come here?" Sam looked at Chloe intently, his brow furrowed with anxiety. 

"Kinda like that," she said quietly. 

Sarah studied Chloe and didn't like what she saw. The despair, the guilt, the self-flagellation. They were all etched on her face. She not only didn't want to be here, she didn't want them around. And who knew what would happen when Dean showed up. She sucked in a breath to keep her panic down and looked at Sam.

Sam took in Sarah's meaningful look and said, "So Sarah and I found a way to protect the baby." 

"That's good," she whispered, her voice sincere as she glanced between them quickly. "And it works?" 

Sam winced at the memory but nodded. "Oh yeah, it works. I guess the real test'll be if a demon attacks."

Sarah looked towards the door and said nothing. 

"We'll be ready for it if it happens," she said without thinking. 

Sarah looked unconvinced and turned her gaze to Chloe, anger surging through her veins suddenly. She blinked it away. "I hope so. It's not like Sam and I have been doing a lot of research into how we're going to defeat the demons." 

Chloe felt the anger Sarah brushed away with effort, but her expression remained neutral. "I have." 

Sam folded his arms and looked at her. "What have you found?" He shut off his thoughts to the rest of them, even Sarah. He didn't want to unnecessarily worry his wife in case Chloe told them something unsettling. 

"It's not just the demons we have to worry about. It's the meteor freaks. They can be just as evil. Plus they've been trained by Lex's men which means they're twice as bad as normal freaks. Fortunately I know more than my share about meteor freaks and how to destroy them." Her voice was flat, emotionless. 

Sarah didn't know what bothered her more: knowing Lex had a ready-made army for the yellow-eyed demon or Chloe's matter-of-fact, _it's the end of the world and I don't care tone_ of voice. "What if the demons take over these meteor infected bodies?"

Sam didn't know, but it was a good question. "So it seems Lex left behind a strong organization in case he met an early demise. Great." 

"Then we have demons with even greater powers than a regular person who's possessed by one," she responded evenly, flickering her gaze to Sarah briefly. 

Sarah couldn't meet her friend's look but nodded. "So basically we're screwed. Good thing the damn demon can't get the baby."

Sam shot Sarah a surprised look and felt her anger. It took him by surprise, and he understood why. Chloe's blatant refusal to talk about her body's possession seemed to have driven a wedge between them. He winced inwardly and hoped Dean would get his ass to the Roadhouse. "Who told you about Lex's army?" 

"It was part of Ava's vision," Chloe responded. 

Sam ran a frustrated hand through his shaggy hair. "Guess it's a good thing you found Ava, then, Chlo. Looks like we're going to need all the help we can get."

Sarah simply nodded. 

"Someone should get in contact with Oliver," she said quietly, not looking up from her drink. "We'll need the entire team on standby." The thought of seeing Clark again made her stomach twist into a painful knot. 

"I'll do it," Sarah whispered and held out her hand for Sam's phone. Once she got it, she stood up and headed towards the other side of the bar to make the call.

Sam watched her leave and then turned cautiously neutral eyes to Chloe. 

Chloe drew in a breath and let it out slowly, not looking at him. "Go ahead." 

Her almost angry tone shocked him. "I was only going to tell you that we're all here for you, and I'd tell you none of what happened was your fault, but I can see you aren't interested in what I have to say." 

"You mean you're not just dying to rip me up one side and down the other?" Her voice was quiet. 

"Does it really matter, Chloe?" he said frankly. "Why tell you things you don't think are true, regardless of whether they are or not?" He knew, deep down somehow, that nothing he or Sarah or Jo said would convince her everything was alright. Dean might have better luck, but mostly, he figured she would have to come to terms with it herself. 

She shut her eyes. "Do you remember how you felt when you thought you were part-demon?" 

He sighed and nodded. 

"Imagine if that had been true. And that you'd hurt every single person you cared about without being able to stop it from happening." 

Sam didn't need to imagine that. He'd already gone down that road: the guilt he'd felt over knowing the horrible torture he'd make his loved ones endure if he truly turned darkside. He knew how she felt, because he knew he wouldn't have been able to live with himself. Begging Dean to put a bullet in his brain would have been his answer. "I get why you feel the way you do, Chloe. I do, believe me. But you didn't choose to be possessed." 

"It doesn't matter if I chose it or not, Sam. I'm a liability here." Her words were blunt, harsh and she turned to look at him for the first time. "You and Dean can't be possessed because you're part angels. Sarah can't be possessed because she's invulnerable now. Me? I'm a freak. If your brother hadn't figured out what was going on, I would've killed you all." 

"You know what, Chloe? Who cares what you're made of or where you came from. You're a part of this family, and we'll do anything to protect you, even if it means from yourself." Sam stood up and turned away from her for a moment to gather his thoughts. "Just because you got the short straw for possession doesn't make you an evil person. It just makes you vulnerable. And that means Dean and I need to find something that will protect you." He turned and looked down at her hands. "Especially since it seems you lost the ring Dean gave you specifically to ward off possession." 

A flicker of confusion passed over her face and she looked down at her hand blankly for a moment. Then she shuddered involuntarily. 

Sam frowned. "You don't know where it is?" 

"No," she whispered. "I don't...I don't remember losing it." 

"Damn, I wonder if all the stress of the body swap and Lex's death..." His voice trailed off, lost in thought. Where would it have slipped off her finger? 

Her face paled at the mention of Lex's death. 

_Dammit, Dean, get your ass here,_ Sam shot out towards his brother and took a step towards Chloe. "God, I'm sorry, Chloe." Clearly, she hadn't dealt with anything, which worried him to no end. 

She nodded quickly, not looking up at him as hot tears stung her eyes. She fought to hold them back. 

Sam opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Sarah's approach. "Okay, Oliver and company are on it," she said and glanced at Chloe's ashen face. She frowned heavily and looked at Sam but said nothing. 

Sam caught a flash of movement behind Chloe and pushed both women behind him, just in time to see Dean stride through the door, eyes dark with intent and emotion.

Dean let the door slam shut but stood just inside the bar, knuckles white from his tight-fisted drive. The helmet he'd pushed off his head cluttered to the door when he caught a flash of blonde behind his brother's body. "What, you afraid I'm going to jump her here and now, Sammy?" he asked with a smirk. 

Chloe's body grew completely still at the sound of his voice, the breath catching in her throat. Her heart thudded heavily against her chest. 

Dean took in a deep breath and walked into the room, his lungs struggling for air as Sam moved aside and he saw Chloe for the first time in a week. She looked like she'd been through hell, but she had never looked better in his eyes. Something about her positively glowed, but maybe it was the sheer relief her felt that she was in one piece, alive and well. The rest he knew he could handle.

Within three strides he had closed the distance between them and caught her up in his arms in a vice-grip lock. A sob threatened to escape from his lips. 

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, her own arms winding tightly around his neck in response, her face buried against his shoulder. 

Sarah looked at her husband and grabbed his hand and led him away from the couple towards the back of the bar.

Dean crushed her to him and inhaled the scent from her shampoo, his favorite scent in the world. He felt a shudder run through her and rubbed her back gently with a hand. 

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. 

He groaned softly. "What for?" He brushed his lips against her hair. 

"Everything." A tear trickled down her face. 

Dean growled, moving her away, and fervently pressed his lips to hers. His hands delved into her hair as his lips massaged hers. 

Chloe kissed him back softly, another tear streaking down her cheek. Her entire body trembled with the effort it took to remain standing. 

"Let's get out of here," he said after a moment, having sensed her weakened state. He fought the intense urge to sweep her into his arms and carry her outside. 

"Where?" she whispered wearily. 

"Out of here. We need to talk." Dean took her hand and headed for the door. "Sammy, Sarah, we'll be back!"

Sam and Sarah looked at each and then at the retreating figures. They both hoped everything would be alright in the morning. 

&&&&&

The darkness crowded around them, save for the tiny beam of light streaming ahead of them, the solitary headlight showing Dean the way to the small cottage he knew belonged to Bobby when he was hunting for deer. He concentrated on finding the dirt road that led to it, the wind whipping across his face like a lash. He felt arms squeeze his waist and tried to smile. Chloe was still with him, physically, at least. And he knew the only thing to get her with him mentally was to break the Winchester code: talk to her.

He let go of a handlebar only long enough to make sure Chloe was secure behind him, grasping her arms one at a time to pull her closer. 

She rested her head against his back, keeping her eyes squeezed shut as she held onto him, the cool wind stinging her skin. The helmet kept her hair from whipping her in the face and she shuddered involuntarily against him, swallowing hard. She didn't know where they were going, just that they'd been on the road on this motorcycle for a little over two hours. If she'd allowed her mental wall to drop, she would have been able to find out, but the idea of letting that barrier fall now terrified her. 

Dean tried to call out to her mentally, but she had clearly blocked him out. That hurt but wasn't surprising. The problem was, he didn't know just how to get her to talk to him. He slowed the bike at the approaching right hand turn and maneuvered them onto a gravel road. Minutes later, they reached the cabin.

He pried Chloe's arms off him and shut off the bike. The headlight was the only thing keeping them from shrouding them in complete darkness. "Can you get the flashlight from the bag by your leg, Chlo?" he asked quietly and got off the bike. 

She slid off the back of the bike slowly, nodding wordlessly and kneeling down to grab the flashlight from the duffel as he'd requested. She quickly flipped it on, turning to shine it on the small cabin cradled in the woods in front of them. 

Dean turned and gently took the bike helmet off her head; he smoothed her blonde hair from her face and took a moment to marvel over how incredible she was. How close he had come to losing her. She didn't look up, though, so he sighed and took her hand, grabbing the duffel with his free hand and led her into the cabin. 

"Whose cabin is this?" she murmured as he led her inside. She watched as he moved to light a fire in the fireplace and it dawned on her this cabin didn't have power. For some reason she found that comforting. 

"Bobby's," he replied and watched the flames lick the dry logs, a thin stream of light quickly combusting into a bright, warm light. He smiled a little when he felt her stiffen. "For deer season." 

"Oh." She wound her arms around herself, her gaze flickering over the dimly lit cabin. 

Standing slowly, Dean walked over to her and took her hand gently. He found a spot by the fire, a clean place against the wall, and sat down. He pulled her down to him and rested her body against his chest. His arms wound around her and cradled her. He buried his face into her hair and dropped a kiss onto her head. 

She shut her eyes as he pulled her against him, his body so familiar to her as she rested her head in the crook of his neck, one hand resting against his chest, over his heart. She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, warmth slowly seeping into her veins from his body heat and that from the flickering firelight. 

Dean shut his eyes and leaned his head on the wall. He had wondered if they would ever be like this again, especially since Lex was killed, something he wished he could have spared her. She might not be so torn up inside. As it was, he fought for the words to get her to speak to him. 

It took him a full minute to speak. "Why did you leave?" he whispered hoarsely and squeezed her a little. 

Her eyebrows furrowed a little, but she kept her eyes shut, unable to speak. Her heart beat heavily in her chest as she let the wall between their minds drop. _I couldn't face you after what I'd done._

He winced inwardly at her sad, defeated tone of voice. He threaded his fingers through her hair slowly. _Why, Chloe?_

She wondered how he could even ask that. Tears prickled at her eyelids and she forced herself to take in another slow breath in an attempt to calm her frazzled nerves. _I slept with Clark._ She shuddered involuntarily. 

He frowned. _Meg slept with Clark,_ he pointed out. _Totally different because it wasn't you._

 _It was my body,_ she whispered against his mind. 

_But your body isn't you. Chloe, you think I only want your body?_

She shuddered again, the urge to cry growing stronger. _No. I don't think that._

Clearly she did, because her trembling gave it away. He groaned and held onto her tightly. "You scared the hell outta me when you just up and left like you did. I can't bear the thought of losing you," he whispered in her ear. 

She pressed her face against his neck, her arms slowly winding around him in return. "I'm sorry," she whispered back. 

Guilt stung at him, biting at his heart like an animal. "Please don't say that," he replied, his voice filled with anxiety. "I'm the one who's sorry." He felt a tidal wave of emotion inside and wasn't sure if he could contain it. 

Her voice was pained when she spoke again. "You have nothing to be sorry for," she choked out. 

_The hell I don't,_ he thought. _I should have been the one to... I was a damn fool for not killing Lex when I had the chance. It's my fault you were left open for possession._

Her fingers slid through his hair and she pressed her lips against his shoulder, holding onto him tightly. "If I had to do it again, I would," she whispered. 

He was surprised to find his body trembling against her touch. "Why?" he rasped and brushed his fingers down the length of her neck. 

She pulled away from him slowly so she could see his face. "Because he would've killed you." 

He studied her face intently for a moment, caught up by the quiet chaos in her eyes. "And in doing so, I nearly killed you," he replied. "So who's the guilty party? Me, Chloe. Not you. Never you. I love you too much to ever think you guilty of anything." 

She shook her head, placing a hand against his cheek. "No. What Lex did...nearly killed me. Not you," she whispered, a tear trickling down her face. 

"Chloe," Dean said softly and caressed her cheek, his thumb wiping her tear away. "I feel so guilty for what happened, and then when you left... I was so scared. I knew something was not right, especially after I heard what you said to... Clark." He winced at the mere mention of the other man's name. 

She flinched at his name, as well, looking guilt-stricken and quickly dropping her gaze to the floor. "I'm so sorry that...." Her voice broke and she shook her head a little. _You saw us like that._ Her stomach twisted into a knot. 

Dean brushed his lips against her cheek and squeezed her. _That bitch knew just how to hurt me,_ he admitted, _because that's been my worst fear. But it wasn't you, Chloe. It might have been your body, but it wasn't you._

She tightened her arms around him a little, pressing her face against his neck again. "But she used me to hurt you," she whispered brokenly. 

"No she didn't," he protested. "You weren't there in the moment. You might have seen what happened, but the Chloe I love was a prisoner to that evil bitch's desires." 

She shuddered against him, her nails digging lightly into his shoulder blades. 

"Do you understand what I'm telling you? I love you, all of you. Everything you are. How you love and fight and everything else in between. You're it for me." 

"Don't say that," she whispered, shutting her eyes tightly. 

"Why not?" he asked simply. "It's true. When I say I love you, it's the real thing, something I never thought I'd ever know. You're part of my family, a big part of it." As he spoke, Dean rubbed her back slowly, trying to ease the tension from her body. 

She rested a hand against his chest once more. "Because all I know how to do is break your heart." Her voice was barely audible. 

He moved her hand and placed it over his heart. "Does my heart sound broken?" he whispered. 

She drew in a shaky breath. "Isn't it?" She slowly lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes filled with despair. 

Dean smiled a little, a genuine smile he reserved only for her. "No, it isn't," he replied, "because you're here with me, you're safe. I don't want to live without you, Chloe Sullivan." He traced a finger down her nose, his eyes turning sad when he thought that maybe, she didn't want him. That sobered him and he looked down. 

She flinched at the words he left unspoken and lifted her hand to his cheek, making him look at her. Wordlessly she leaned in and kissed him softly. 

Large tears fell from his eyes when he tasted her lips on his, hesitant but filled with unspoken promise. Dean kissed her back, his heart in his throat, uncertain for the first time in his life of what to say or do. 

Their tears mingled together on his face and she trembled against him, her hand moving to touch the back of his head, her fingers threading through his short hair. 

His hands settled onto her waist and held her fast and firm as he deepened their kisses. _Please don't leave me alone,_ he thought, his mental voice practically a sob of despair. 

A soft whimper escaped her at the plea, her heart aching so badly it took her breath away for a moment. _I love you._

He pulled away and looked into her eyes for some sign that she was telling the truth. The fire flickered in the background and surrounded her body in light. Her eyes glittered with still unshed tears, the light catching them and illuminating the warmth and love he found lurking in depths he would willingly lose himself in. He grinned. "Not as much as I love you," he replied. 

The ghost of a smile touched her lips and she pressed her hands to his cheeks again, leaning her forehead against his and shutting her eyes. 

Dean slid his hands over hers and closed his eyes as they leaned against each other for several moments. He had no words, no thoughts. It was only the two of them. And for the first time all night, he felt like Chloe was coming back to him, for good, he hoped. Her bare hands, though, reminded him of something, so he took her hands and looked down at her. "Found something that belongs to you," he said and kissed her fingertips. 

Her eyebrows furrowed as she watched him reach into his jeans pocket. She sucked in a surprised breath at the sight of his ring. "Where did you find it?" she whispered, lifting her gaze to meet his. 

"In the Impala, while I was hauling ass getting my crap together to go hunt you down," he smirked and stared intently at her. "This protects you from possession. If it fell off your finger, and I think it did, then that's how Meg got into you." 

"I wouldn't have taken it off," she whispered, leaning her head against his once more. "Not voluntarily." 

"I know," he replied and kissed her gently. "But I want you to have it back, because it's really yours. Kinda like my heart." He gave her a lopsided, heart-stopping grin. 

Tears shone in her eyes as she gazed at him for a moment, returning the soft kiss. "And mine is yours," she whispered as he slowly slid the ring onto her finger once more. 

Dean thought his heart would stop, it was beating so quickly. His intense eyes gazed at her face and watched the emotions cross her face when she looked at his ring on her right middle finger. He was stuck speechless at her quiet confession and put her hand over his heart. "Then I'll keep it here. Safe. Forever." 

A tear trickled down her cheek at his quiet promise because she knew he meant it. She leaned closer to him, brushing her lips against his softly. 

Catching her face between his hands, Dean kissed her with a deliberate intensity, his heart feeling whole for the first time in a very long time. There was no way he was going to let her go. Nothing was going to separate them. he heard a low moan in the back of her throat and smiled against her lips. 

"Make love to me," she whispered, her voice a barely audible plea, her eyes drifting shut. 

"I've never stopped," he grunted against her lips but crushed her body to his insistently, his hardness brushing against her thigh. 

She slid her hand down his neck, her fingers trailing down his skin as she shifted against him.

His hands moved underneath her armpits and he hauled them off the floor, his legs almost buckling beneath him at the ferocity of his need for her. Dean picked her up and crossed the small room to a small twin-sized bed in the far corner, opposite the fireplace. The faint light cast their shadows on the walls as he lowered her to the bed and moved over her. "He couldn't have a bigger bed," Dean growled and tackled the buttons on her shirt, his lips and tongue tracing her neck and following his hands. 

A faint smile tugged at her lips at his remark and she reached out, slowly undoing the buttons on his shirt, as well. "We'll make do," she whispered. 

"Thank God we're both in shape," he muttered and watched his hands spread over her lace-covered breasts. He admired the flush covering her skin, the beads of sweat that popped out on her chest, the racing heart beneath her ribcage. Dean leaned down and rested his ear between her breasts and listened to her heartbeat. _Mine,_ he thought. 

She closed her eyes at his silent but sure claim on her heart, sliding her fingers through his hair. _Yours,_ she agreed without hesitation. 

He reacted almost violently to her agreement, his body hard with desire. He unsnapped her front clasped bra and licked her skin, tweaking her nipples into taut peaks. His hands then slid to caress her jean-clad thighs. He sat up and found her hands gently pulling his hands away as he fumbled with her jeans zipper. 

"Dean," she whispered, stilling his hands for a moment as she gazed up at him. 

Startled by her voice, he looked down at her. The fire was dying in the fireplace, but his body felt as hot as an oven. "Yeah?" 

"Slow down," she said softly, sitting up so they were face to face. She gazed at him in the semi-darkness, then reached out and slowly slid the shirt off his shoulders, her hands sliding over his skin gently. 

Dean bit his lip and let her run her hands over his torso, effectively letting her stoke the fires of his love for her in the process. He felt her nuzzle his neck and gently bite the tender spot, which made him physically quake. His hands itched to touch her, so he slid her shirt and bra from her shoulders and ran fingers up her spine. 

Chloe closed her eyes at the feather-light touch, sighing very softly against him as she brushed a kiss against his collarbone. She trailed her lips against his skin until their mouths met once more, her arms sliding around him and her nails raking lightly over his back. 

His mouth slanted over hers, his tongue sliding against her lips to entreat entrance. When she sighed and opened her lips, Dean deepened their kisses, his hands gripping her lower back as their bodies bumped together gently. Her breasts moved against his naked chest and he groaned once more, unable to ever get enough of her. He gently pressed her back onto the mattress and continued their heated kisses. 

"I love you," she breathed against his lips, shifting beneath him. 

He lightly ground his hard length against her and smiled. "I love you, too," he whispered and kissed her nose before returning to her mouth. One hand planted itself on her side while the other explored her body and stopped to cup her breast. 

Her eyes drifted shut as she let his touches and gentle caresses carry her to a place where guilt and fear had no place in the world. Where it was only the two of them. _Forever._

 _Forever._ Her voice echoed in his mind and he smiled at her thoughts. He kissed across her cheek and moved slowly down her neck, his stomach curling in anticipation and his cock straining against his jeans. He ignored the demands of his body, though, to focus on pleasing her. He licked her nipple and kissed her breasts, one at a time. 

Her fingers curled in his hair and she shivered at the sensation of his lips against her skin. Somewhere within her she felt something shift, change and she realized it was her letting go of her will to resist surrender. 

He felt her suddenly relax, felt her body push against his in acceptance, and he looked up at her. He moved over her and into her heated eyes. "Everything okay?" he whispered, though he already knew the answer. 

"Yes," she whispered back, reaching up to touch his cheek as she gazed into his eyes. 

He nodded and grunted. "Good, good. Because... I'm not going to last much longer," he whispered, slightly shamed by the thought. He turned into her caress. 

She slid her fingers lightly over his cheek, inhaling slowly when he turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand. Wordlessly she slid her hands down his body, undoing the button on his jeans and pulling down the zipper. 

Dean gritted his teeth when she slid his jeans and boxers over his hips, his manhood springing forth, hard and ready for her. When she gently stroked him, his hips involuntarily shifted against her hand and rode it slowly. He groaned and licked his way down her flat stomach. 

A soft moan escaped her as his fingers brushed over her thighs as he tugged her own jeans down and off. "Please," she murmured. 

He chuckled from the sheer frustration in her voice and spread her thighs wide, his finger playing with her clit gently. "Your wish," he replied and slipped a finger into her wet heat. He was surprised by how ready she was, emphasized by her movements against his hand. 

Chloe whimpered, her hips rising to meet his movement, a thin sheen of sweat breaking out across her forehead and chest as she shifted restlessly beneath him. 

Dean moved between her thighs and replaced his finger with his hardness, guiding himself into her with such ease he nearly lose his control. Their bodies stuck together as he slowly pumped into her, unable to do anything but watch the pleasure on her face. 

She shut her eyes, arching her hips to meet him halfway, winding her legs around his waist even as her arms pulled him against her. A tear slipped down her face as he filled her physically, emotionally, his presence gluing the broken pieces of her heart back together with his gentle touches. With the silent promise of forever. 

Dean supported her body by cupping her ass with one hand, his mouth gently kissing away her tears as they moved in perfect harmony. He knew in a heartbeat, knew when she yielded to his touch, that she would be okay. That she loved him, wanted him, just as he needed her with his entire being. No other woman would ever be on his radar. Not when he had Chloe by his side, as his partner.

He whispered to her words of love as their rhythm because hard and insistent, ragged and uneven. 

She tightened her arms around him, his name a soft cry on her lips as her climax hit, pleasure and absolution washing over her together as he followed a moment later. Her breathing was shallow, and ragged as she slid her hands down his back, his heated skin warming hers. 

Dean's breathing hitched in his throat at her touch, their bodies slick with perspiration. He slowly moved them to they faced each other, bodies pressed close together, on the narrow bed. He brushed the damp tendrils of hair from her face and smiled peacefully, for in truth, he was at peace. Whole. Complete. Loved. He hardly knew what to say, as awed as he was by her. 

She rested her head against his collarbone as sleep washed over her, sweeping her away in its gentle warmth, embracing her and carrying her into a peaceful oblivion as she lay in his arms for the first time in a week. Her last thought was that she was finally home.


End file.
